OMAHA, NE — After conceding two goals in the first half, Spokane was unable to mount a comeback against the Owls on Wednesday, wrapping up a three match road trip with a loss.
Velocity FC’s Head Coach Leigh Veidman reflected on Wednesday’s match.
“We started the game incredibly poorly. No team can come to Omaha and start the way we did and expect to get a result,” said Veidman.
Omaha got off to a blistering start, scoring two goals across the first 10 minutes. Midfielder Laurence Wootton converted in the center of the box in the 6th minute, while forward Aarón Gomez scored a header in the 10th minute to give the Owls an early 2-0 lead.
Chances for Spokane were hard to come by, as the Lads had just one shot on target in the first half thanks to a shot outside the box by forward Shavon John-Brown in the 39th minute that was saved by Omaha goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu.
The Owls were solid offensively, getting four of their six shot attempts on target in the first half. Midfielder Adrian Billhardt nearly scored a third goal for Omaha in the 45th minute after getting an attempt inside the box deflected by Velocity FC goalkeeper Sean Lewis.
Velocity FC defender Simon Fitch reflected on Wednesday’s loss.
“We need to each find ways to do our roles better, especially on the defensive side,” said Fitch. “If we do that, we can always go and find goals on the other end. Today is a tough pill to swallow, but as a competition you’re always thankful for an opportunity to get back at it quickly.”
Spokane defender Nick Spielman subbed on to start the second half and provided a much-needed goal in the 67th minute that kickstarted a comeback opportunity. Spielman found the ball off a deflection inside the six-yard box, getting a left-footed shot
into the net to convert his first goal of the season.
Velocity FC’s captain Luis Gil shared his thoughts on how the team would move past Wednesday’s result.
“Today wasn’t our standard. After a tough loss, we need to quickly analyze our mistakes and hold ourselves accountable so we can move on,” said Gil. “We have a big game with a quick turnaround, so our focus is to get three points in front of our fans on Sunday.”
Velocity FC was unable to find another goal after Spielman’s score, with the best attempt coming from midfielder Jack Denton in the 75th minute, who had a shot just inside the box deflected by a diving Nuhu.
Omaha midfielder Gabriel Cabral scored an insurance goal in the 93rd minute to secure the Owls their 17th win in league play and hand Velocity FC its first loss since August 15th.
On a brighter note, Spokane forward Nathan Donovan made his professional debut on Wednesday after subbing onto the match in the 62nd minute. Donovan, who recently signed a 25-day contract with Spokane, won the 2026 USL League Two Player of the Year award and was a Co-Golden Boot winner with Minneapolis City SC.
Coach Veidman spoke on how important it will be for the team to return home this Sunday after being on the road for three straight matches.
“We have to try and brush this off and get ready for another big game on Sunday,” said Veidman.
The Lads will look to bounce back this Sunday when they return to ONE Spokane Stadium to face Athletic Club Boise at 4:00 PM PT. It will be a can’t miss match between the budding rivals, so get your tickets now at Velocity FC Single Match Tickets and support the Lads as they continue their third season in League One!
